Premier League: 2012/13 Overrated XI

As the curtain is about to close on another Premier League season, we take a look at the league's most overrated team of this year.

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina | Liverpool

The Spanish shot-stopper was once rated by many as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, but his form this season makes this hard to believe. He has made some ghastly mistakes, including one that gifted Manchester City's Sergio Aguero an equaliser at the Etihad Stadium in February. He has been tipped to leave Liverpool this summer.

Right-back: Kyle Walker | Tottenham

Although his pace is undeniably an asset, the Englishman has been shown to be a suspect defender at best. A perfect example of his defensive liability was his capitulation at the hands of Chelsea's Juan Mata and co. at White Hart Lane earlier this season.

Named the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2012, it seems he is at least highly-rated by some people!

Centre-back: Joleon Lescott | Manchester City

The Englishman has flattered to deceive since his inflated £24m move from Everton. He has really struggled to maintain a place in the starting line-up even as City started playing the season with three centre-backs, and has been overshadowed by the teenager Matija Nastasic.

With only one genuinely good season, which came with Everton before his transfer, 26 England caps seems to be very generous too.

Centre-back: Thomas Vermaelen | Arsenal

Although this may be a controversial inclusion in the team, the Belgian has proven to be susceptible to some catastrophic errors this year. His slip which allowed former team-mate Robin van Persie is one of a number of positional and basic mistakes made this season.

Having been elevated to club captain this year, he has even admitted that he deserved to be benched for the close of Arsenal’s season.

Left-back: Davide Santon | Newcastle United

The Italian’s agent hailed his client as a “coup” for Newcastle when he signed, but Santon has proven to be quite the opposite.

Despite supposedly being an “attacking” full-back, he has only managed one goal, and four assists - and has not made up for it defensively, making just 10 blocks and 31 clearances all season.

Right-wing: Gaston Ramirez | Southampton

The saga surrounding the Uruguayan’s move to the south-coast finally ended with a £12m transfer fee being agreed, and a reported salary which made him the club’s best paid player by quite a way.

However, Ramirez has disappointed many failing to light up the Premier League in such a way that you would expect from a club’s record signing.

Centre-midfield: Tom Cleverley | Manchester United

It is amazing to say that Cleverley is a regular in England’s midfield with the immensely more talented Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere, and Michael Carrick waiting on the sidelines.

With two goals and two assists he has been a far-cry from the keystone in United’s title triumph that many pundits proclaim.

Centre-midfield: Gareth Barry | Manchester City

Another English player, Barry, it must be said, is a solid and somewhat effective anchoring midfield player. However, does simply getting in the way of opposing players denote a £12m transfer fee and over 50 caps for England? I think not.

Left-wing: Lukas Podolski | Arsenal

After a transfer of an undisclosed but substantial fee, big things were expected of the German, as Arsenal looked to him to fill the void left by Robin van Persie. Nonetheless, after a disappointing return of just 11 league goals all season he has been shifted to the wing as Arsenal look elsewhere for their centre forward.

Centre-forward: Fabio Borini | Liverpool

To have scored just 18 goals in the whole of your career at the age of 22, is something that would be befitting of a defensive midfield player, but this is exactly what the Italian, who plays for Liverpool, has achieved.

Admittedly he has been injured for large parts of the season, but a return of just two goals in 19 starts is not good enough considering Liverpool bizarrely paid over £10m for him.

Striker: Eden Dzeko | Manchester City

Hear me out! Before peppering the comments section below with your suggestions, consider Dzeko’s title as a “world-class” player. It is, of course, undeniable that Dzeko is a good player who is very good on his day, but he is most definitely not world class.

With some of the best service in the country at City he has a meagre 39 goals in all competitions for City in over 100 games which does certainly not warrant the near £30m fee that City paid for him.

A final thought: Dzeko has just 15 goals in all competitions this season, which is seven less than the much ridiculed Fernando Torres, who has 22.

What do you think? Are any of these players not deserving of their place in the team?

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DISCLAIMER

This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeSport Writing Academy and does not represent the views of
GiveMeSport.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article.
GiveMeSport.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.

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